Hercules: The Myth and the Movie Quiz

Answer: The man who lit Hercules's funeral pyre, to whom he gave his bow and arrows

Zeus was actually Hercules' father. Hercules did have a half-brother on his mother's side whom he saved from snakes, but his name was Iphicles.

Answer: The Graeae

The Graeae were the trio of women whom Perseus met on his way to kill Medusa. Their names were Alarm, Dread, and Horror. The Gorgons were their sisters, two were immortal, and the third, Medusa, was slain by Perseus. The Graces were daughters of Zeus and Eurynome; they were goddesses of beauty and happiness.

The Furies were a triad of women who inflicted vigilante justice upon all wrongdoers.

Answer: Herakles

Although his name was originally Alcides, it was changed by the oracle at Delphi to Heracles which, when translated, means "Glory of Hera."

Answer: Bellerophon

Bellerophon used Pegasus to help him defeat the Chimera. He then decided he was good enough to be with the gods, so he used Pegasus to try to fly up to Mount Olympus. Zeus, however, did not like any mortal trying to be as good as the gods, so he caused a fly to sting Pegasus, making him throw his rider back to earth. Bellerophon then wandered a long and lonely life until his death. Pegasus, however, became one of Zeus's most favored steeds.

Answer: Fear and Terror, Ares

Ares's sons, Phobos and Deimos, were his constant companions wherever he went. The moons of the planet Mars (the Roman equivalent of Ares) are named after them.

Answer: 9

The muses were goddesses of the arts, and were usually associated with Apollo. Their names were: Euterpe (lyric poetry and the flute), Clio (history), Thalia (comedy), Melpomene (tragedy), Terpsichore (dance), Erato (love poetry), Polyhymnia (sacred poetry), Urania (astrology), and Calliope (epic poetry).

Answer: Narcissus never became a god

Narcissus was a very handsome man in Greek mythology, but he was very vain. He could love no other living creature but himself. One day, he came upon his reflection in a pool of water, and could not tear himself away from the sight of the beautiful youth in the water.

He finally wasted away from hunger, and in the place where his body lay, a beautiful flower, called the narcissus, sprouted.

Answer: His wife

Hercules saved the the Thebans from the Minyans, a troublesome tribe. In gratitude, they gave him their princess, Megara, as his wife. Although they were happy together, he eventually killed her and their three sons because of a rage sent by Hera. This was the reason why he had to perform the twelve labors for his penance.

Answer: He cuts off all of its mortal heads, and burns the necks so they can't grow back. He then buries the immortal one.

In the labor of the hydra, Hercules tried cutting off its heads, but from each headless neck two more heads appeared. He finally got Iolaus, his nephew, to give him a brand so he could burn the necks of the mortal heads. Since the hydra had one head which was immortal, he buried it under a large boulder.

Answer: Hercules was a member of the crew of the Argo

Hercules was an important member of the Argonauts. They were in the middle of the ocean on their voyage, and his young armour-bearer, Hylas, was pulled into the ocean by sirens. He jumped in after him, and the Argonauts were forced to sail off without him.

Answer: Alcmene

Alcmene was one of the few women who had an affair with Zeus unwillingly. He came to her in the form of her husband, Amphitryon, who was off fighting a war. She then conceived Hercules by Zeus, and later Iphicles by Amphitryon. Io and Europa were other women who had affairs with Zeus

Answer: He killed his wife and children in a rage

The labors he performed were perhaps the most famous thing about Hercules, besides his abnormal strength. After he had murdered his wife and children in a blind rage sent by Hera, he was sent by the oracle at Delphi to perform labors for his cousin, Eurystheus, in order to be cleansed through penance.

Answer: Persephone

Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, another sister of Zeus and Hades. When Persephone was picking flowers, Hades came up from the underworld in a black chariot and dragged her off. Demeter scoured the world for her lost daughter, and finally Helios, the sun, told her what he saw.

She grieved so greatly that the Earth lost all ability to bear fruit and vegetation (she was the goddess of harvest). Finally, Zeus went to plead with Hades on the sake of mankind. Persephone was allowed to return to the earth on one condition: that she had not eaten anything in the Underworld. Alas, Persephone had eaten four pomegranate seeds.

A deal was set that Persephone could spend eight months on earth with her mother, and four months in Hades as Queen of the Underworld.

This accounted for the months of the year where the earth is barren, and the time when everything grows back.

Answer: Lerna

The killing of the Lernyan hydra was one of Hercules's more famous labors. It has been depicted artistically by several artists, including Franz von Stuck, Antonio Polliao, and Violet Brunton.

Answer: Perseus and Theseus

Theseus was the son of King Aegus of Athens. The king had to pay a gruesome tribute to Minos of Crete. Androgeus, Minos's son, had been killed while visiting Athens. Therefore, Minos had to send 14 Athenian youths to Crete to feed to the Minotaur, a hideous monster which resided in The Labyrinth. Finally, Theseus went with them, and with the help of Ariadne (Minos's daughter), he slew the Minotaur and found his way out of the Labyrinth. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae.

When Danae's father found out that she had a child, he sent her and Perseus away in a box, onto the ocean.

This was because an oracle had told him that he would be killed by his grandson. Perseus and Danae were found by a fisherman called Dictys, who lived on a small island.

The king of the island fell in love with Danae, and wanted to marry her, but did not want Perseus to be interfering. When people were giving wedding gifts, Perseus discovered that he didn't have anything. When he heard that the king wanted the head of Medusa, he went off to fetch it. (This is was arranged by the king). With the help of Hermes and Athena, Perseus slew the Gorgon, and brought it back to the island.

He then showed it to the king, and it turned him and his advisors to stone.